Lignin is a natural polymer, which can be extracted from e.g wood. As lignin is a natural biopolymer its use as a component in glues instead of synthetic materials has been investigated in order to come up with a more environmentally friendly adhesive composition. Especially, the ability to replace synthetic phenol in phenolic resins, such as phenol formaldehyde resin, has been the object of prior art.
Different types of adhesive compositions, such a phenolic glues, can be used with wood products. Examples of such glues include compositions comprising phenol formaldehyde resin. Traditionally synthetic phenol formaldehyde resins are produced by polymerizing phenol and formaldehyde in the presence of a catalyst. Examples of such catalysts are sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and acids. The method for producing phenol formaldehyde resin comprises adding formaldehyde in a stepwise manner to a phenol composition and thereafter increasing the temperature of the formed composition up to 80-90° C. The composition is cooked at this temperature until a desired viscosity of the formed resin or polymer chain length is reached.
Lignin can be used for the purpose of decreasing the amount of synthetic phenol in a resin composition. Lignin has previously been used for replacing phenol during the production of lignin-phenolformaldehyde resin.
It has been possible to replace up to 30% of the synthetic phenol in the final resin, e.g. phenol formaldehyde resin, with lignin but higher replacement has resulted in unsatisfying properties of the produced glue.
The inventors have therefore recognized a need for a method, which would result in a higher phenol replacement in the composition and thus in a more environmentally friendly binder composition having suitable properties for use in different applications.